The Abu Dhabi-based rollercoaster reaches its top speed of nearly 150 mph in less than four seconds. YouTube

November 17, 2010

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The video: Eat your heart out, Six Flags. An Abu Dhabi theme park has unveiled the world's fastest rollercoaster — a uniquely alarming ride that throws thrill-seekers round its curves at speeds topping 150 mph. (View clip below.) Passengers, wearing protective goggles, are strapped into trains shaped like Formula 1 race cars, which are then catapulted from the ride's docking bay using the same technology that launches a jet plane from an aircraft carrier. The ride, known as Formula Rossa, is the centerpiece of Ferrari World, an indoor theme park which opened last week in the United Arab Emirates. The reaction: "I thought I was going to die," says Jacki Warnock at racing blog Girlracer. The G-forces were so extreme, "I had to remind myself to breathe." Apparently, it reaches a height of 170 ft. but "I am not 100 percent sure because I had my eyes closed for most of the ride." Rollercoaster fans may regret the lack of "inversions or corkscrews," says Doug Osborne at Geek.com. But any ride that propels you to 150 mph in under five seconds is "definitely not for the faint of heart." Sample the Formula Rossa experience by watching this video: